Illusions [Ateez x Reader]

Chapter 5

     "We need to talk first."

    I took deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart. Wooyoung has me pinned against the wall with the others around him. I look at him with wide eyes, but begrudgingly nod my head anyways. Wooyoung let's me go and steps back a bit, giving me some room.

      "We understand why you are mad," Yeosang starts. "But we want to be able to fix what we broke."

      "Why?" I raise my eyebrows, crossing my arms against my chest.

      "What do you mean why?" Jongho asks.

      I sigh annoyed. "I mean why do you want to fix this? You were perfectly fine cheating on me back then."

      Yunho sighs, defeated. "I know we messed up, Y/N, but let us explain."

     "Fine," I agree, keeping my posture stiff.

     "You were our last soulmate, and it took you longer to find us. We filled that whole while you were not there through playing with people," San began.

    Seonghwa continues San's thought. "We know it was bad, but it always helped for a bit."

    "Anyways," Hongjoong continues, "we got so used to doing that, when you came along it was a habit. We really tried to to, but we weren't able to stop."

     "You are our soulmate, and even though we didn't show it, we loved you. We acted cold because we hated ourselves for what we were doing, knowing it was hurting you." Mingi picks up.

      "And I think we realized just how bad we hurt you when you rejected us. Because now, we understand the empty feeling a little more," Yunho finishes.

     I look at each of them separately, before asking a question. "Why didn't you guys tell me?"

      Wooyoung sighs, then answers. "We were embarrassed because of how we filled the hole we had in our hearts before you came."

      "None of this gives you an excuse to do that to me," I tell them, standing firm.

     "We know that, but we just wanted you to know why we did it," San answers me quietly.

     "We just want another chance," Yeosang looks at me hopefully.

     "I don't know if I can give you that," I sigh. "You guys hurt me so bad. I almost died because of you."

      "What?! Almost died?!" Seonghwa scream-asks.

     I turn to look at him with a surprised expression on my face. "You didn't know?"

      "Know what?" Jongho questions.

    "If you cheat sixteen times, the soulmate you cheated on dies. Which means, every time you cheat, you kill your soulmate a little. Now, you cheated on me fourteen times. That's two away from death," I murmur with a stone face.

     "We almost killed you?!" Yunho exclaims.

     I nod.

     Hongjoong comes closer to me, cautiously taking my hand in his. "Please let us try to make it up. Let us try to earn your heart and our title of soulmates back."

     "How long will this go on until you go back to the way you were?" I wonder, eyes squeezing shut as I ask.

    "We won't go back," Yeosang promises, "You, Y/N, deserve so much more than what we gave you last time. We swear we will do things differently this time."

     I look at all of their faces closely, seeing nothing but sadness and honesty. I close my eyes tightly, having a mental war in my brain over what I should do. After a harrowing two minute debate, I finally answer. "I will let you try and earn back my heart. But this is the only chance you get, screw up and it's never happening again, got it?"

     The boys nod happily, all of them letting out some form of ecstatic noise. I notice them drawing some attention, so I quickly shut them up. "Shut it. Now, I need to head home. I hope I won't regret letting you try again."

    With that, I turn and rush out the doors of KQ and to my apartment. I get into my apartment and lock the door behind me, quickly rushing to my room to put my sleeping clothes on. I then go to my kitchen to eat before returning back to my room, plopping onto my bed. I slowly fall asleep, with nothing but worry on my mind.